56 AUTUMNS IN AKGYLESHIRE 



without seeing one or more of these graceful crea- 

 tures, and many a time have I taken aim at them 

 as I returned from an afternoon after the rabbits 

 in the cairn, but of course never drew trigger. 

 They are not taken in by the apparent danger, 

 as they are quite aware of the regulations of the 

 establishment, and buck, doe, and fawn alike face 

 the deadly tube with a confidence bred of the 

 knowledge that in that wood it is quite innocuous. 

 Long may they nourish there unharmed, giving 

 infinite pleasure to all who delight in studying 

 wild nature ! 



It is perhaps rather bathos to turn from their 

 aesthetic and sporting qualities to gastronomic 

 uses. I cannot say that I personally have a very 

 high opinion of the flesh of roe as food. It differs 

 in flavour from venison, mutton, or hare, although 

 it has a smack of each and all. Dressed a la 

 Chasseur with preserved cherries it is very good, 

 and a haunch larded with a little mutton-fat is 

 palatable ; but my mind recoils with horror from 

 Colquhoun's suggestion that bucks ought to be 

 shot in the winter, when they have lost their 

 horns, because they are then better eating. For 

 my part, I would rather have one fine roe's head 

 than a wilderness of haunches ; and as my eye 

 rests gratefully on some of my beautiful trophies, 

 I do not envy the base epicurean who would 

 sacrifice such lasting pleasure for the doubtful 

 privilege of feasting on inferior mutton. 



